A racking system for storing equipment in a rack includes a rail that is configured to be attached to the rack and a housing that receives the equipment. One of the housing and rail includes a catch, and the other of the housing and the rail includes a slot for engaging the catch. The catch is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the catch engages the slot and extends away from a surface of either the housing and the rail, and in the second position, the catch is withdrawn from engaging the slot. The catch rotates upon moving between the first position and the second position, and the catch is biased towards the first position.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A racking system for storing equipment in a rack, comprising: a rail configured to be attached to the rack; and a housing for receiving the equipment, wherein one of the housing and the rail includes a catch, and an other of the housing and the rail includes a slot for engaging the catch, the catch movable between a first position and a second position, in the first position, the catch engaging the slot and the catch extends away from a surface of the one of the housing and the rail, in the second position, the catch is withdrawn from engaging the slot, the slot includes a receiving portion and in a first position of the rail relative to the housing with the catch proximate the receiving portion, the catch movable between the first position of the catch and the second position of the catch, the slot includes a traversing portion, and in a second position of the rail relative to the housing and the catch engaged within the traversing portion of the slot, the catch is unmovable into the second position of the catch, wherein the catch rotating from a substantially horizontal orientation to a substantially vertical orientation upon moving between the first position and the second position.
2. The racking system according to claim 1 , the housing includes the catch, and the rail includes the slot.
3. The racking system according to claim 2 , wherein the rail includes a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, and the slot is positioned in the vertical portion.
4. The racking system according to claim 1 , further comprising a latch connected to the catch for moving the catch between the first position and the second position.
5. The racking system according to claim 4 , wherein the latch positioned in a recess of the housing and no portion of the latch extending beyond a side surface of the housing proximate the rail.
6. The racking system according to claim 1 , wherein the catch is biased towards the first position.
7. The racking system according to claim 1 , wherein the slot includes a notch portion, the notch portion includes a surface positioned at a different height than heights of surfaces of the traversing portion, and in a third position of the rail relative to the housing and the catch engaged within the notch portion of the slot, the catch is unmovable into the second position.
8. The racking system according to claim 7 , wherein the notch portion is positioned closer to a front of the rail than the receiving portion.
9. The racking system according to claim 7 , wherein the notch portion is positioned proximate the receiving portion.
10. The racking system according to claim 1 , wherein the catch includes a modified U-shaped exterior profile.
11. The racking system according to claim 1 , wherein an exterior profile of the catch includes an angled portion.
12. The racking system according to claim 11 , wherein the slot includes an angled slot portion, and in a fourth position of the rail relative to the housing and the catch engaged within the angled slot portion of the slot, motion of the housing relative to the rail towards a rear of the rail moving the catch to a third position of the catch between the first and second positions of the catch.
13. The racking system according to claim 12 , in the third position the catch, the catch disengaged from the slot and the catch biased against a side surface of the rail.
14. The racking system according to claim 12 , wherein the angled portion of the catch engaging the angled slot portion moves the catch to the third position of the catch.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 19, 2005
June 29, 2010
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